Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey is in Ghana’s 28-man preliminary squad for the 2026 World Cup, despite facing seven charges of rape and one charge of sexual assault from incidents involving four women between 2020 and 2022.
Ghana’s coach, Carlos Queiroz, included Partey in a 28-man squad for a training camp and friendly against Wales on June 2. The squad will be cut to 26 before the World Cup. The 32-year-old, currently with Villarreal, will stand trial next year.
Notable players in the squad include Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo, Coventry striker Brandon Thomas-Asante, and Leicester’s Jordan Ayew and Abdul Fatawu. Tottenham winger Mohammed Kudus is absent due to a quad injury.
Ghana’s World Cup campaign kicks off in Group L against Panama on June 17, with matches against England and Croatia to follow.
Ghana’s preliminary World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Benjamin Asare (Accra Hearts of Oak SC), Lawrence Ati-Zigi (St Gallen), Joseph Anang (St Patrick’s Athletic), Solomon Agbasi (Accra Hearts of Oak SC), Paul Reverson (Ajax).
Defenders: Baba Abdul Rahman (PAOK), Gideon Mensah (Auxerre), Marvin Senaya (Auxerre), Alidu Seidu (Rennes), Abdul Mumin (Rayo Vallecano), Jerome Opoku (Istanbul Basaksehir), Jonas Adjetey (Wolfsburg), Kojo Oppong Peprah (Nice), Alexander Djiku (Spartak Moscow), Elisha Owusu (Auxerre).
Midfielders: Thomas Partey (Villarreal), Kwasi Sibo (Real Oviedo), Augustine Boakye (Saint-Etienne), Caleb Yirenkyi (Nordsjaelland), Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Leicester City).
Forwards: Kamal Deen Sulemana (Atalanta), Christopher Bonsu Baah (Al Qadsiah), Ernest Nuamah (Lyon), Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City), Brandon Thomas-Asante (Coventry City), Prince Kwabena Adu (Viktoria Plzen), Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Jordan Ayew (Leicester City).
